 EXTREMADURA
Birds of prey, bustards, sandgrouse and brilliant birding
Saturday 17 April - Saturday 24 April 2010
Price: £1295 pp
Single Supp: £115 pp Deposit: £300 pp
 
Extremadura and the Monfrague Natural Park are brimming with some of the best birdwatching in Europe, featuring many of Europe’s rarest and most endangered species.
We will enjoy truly outstanding raptor watching, with all five Spanish
eagles, Bonelli’s, Golden, Booted, Short-toed and endangered Spanish
Imperial, and three vultures, Black, Egyptian and Griffon. Sightings of these birds can be truly exceptional, as all are located close to our vehicles, and we also often have access to areas normally unavailable to birders. Lesser Kestrel and Black-winged Kite are a delight in sites we know well, and we should have regular sightings of Montague's Harrier.
The holiday begins with a transfer to our hotel, with birds of prey overhead virtually from the start. The birding really is exceptional, with birds every few yards it seems. During our days in the steppes, we expect to see good numbers of Great Bustard, and also look for the spectacular breeding display as
males almost turn themselves inside out and look like huge white balls
of feathers. Other sought-after specialities here are Little Bustard, Black-bellied
and Pin-tailed Sandgrouse. Other birds likely in this tremendous area include Bee-eater,
Stone Curlew, Collared Pratincole,
Black Wheatear, Rock Bunting, Southern Grey Shrike, Golden Oriole, Little
Owl, Alpine Swift, Red-rumped Swallow, Calandra Lark, Woodlark, Short-toed
Lark, Tawny Pipit, Black-eared Wheatear, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Woodchat
Shrike, Crested Tit, Melodious Warbler, Rock Sparrow, Hawfinch and Penduline Tit, and we take you to breeding places for both White and Black
Stork. We expect very good views of almost all these birds. An exceptional sighting on a recent holiday was of two melanistic Montague's Harriers, which flew alongside the bus for several minutes.
Around rocky pinnacles, Red-legged Chough, Blue Rock Thrush, Thekla Lark, Crag Martin and Alpine Swift are found, and Eagle Owl can often be seen at their day-time roost. From our elevated vantage point we can look down south onto the trees of the corkwood dehesa, and north over the arid plains of La Serena. The dehesa holds Hoopoe, Great Spotted Cuckoo and Azure-winged Magpie, and if we have been lucky with spring rains, will be a carpet of dazzling colour as flowers bloom in the brief, warm spring. In the Monfrague National Park, Azure-winged Magpie, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Purple Heron, Little Bittern,
Spanish Sparrow and Savi´s, Sardinian, Bonelli’s, Subalpine, Dartford, Spectacled,Orphean, Melodious, and perhaps shy Olivaceous Warbler are in our sights too. A brilliant experience brim full of birds!
This holiday is leisurely in pace, and most of the key birds are readily available close to our transport. This means we have often rounded everything important up by Friday, giving us a chance to concentrate on getting exceptional views of the key species once more.
Other wildlife include the large and impressive Ocellated Lizard, one unfortunate specimen of which we saw being dismantled by a very close Booted Eagle. Butterflies may include Queen of Spain Fritillary, Green-striped White and Scarce (Spanish) Swallowtail amongst others, and we also got close-up views of Spanish fighting bulls!
OUTLINE ITINERARY
Day 1 Saturday 17 April
Fly London – Madrid. We travel to the western part of the granite Sierra de Gredos mountains with peculiar rock formations and lovely pine forest. Here we have good chances of Spanish Imperial Eagle, Black Vulture, Crested Tit and Rock Sparrow among other interesting birds. Driving from La Mancha through Extremadura, we should have several encounters with local specialities including Bee-eater and Lesser Kestrel before arrival at our base in the Monfrague area.
Days 2 and 3 Sunday 18 April – Monday 19 April
We explore La Serena, one of the most important areas in the world for grassland birds. It is here that we expect to see the impressive Great Bustard perform its incredible breeding display. The males almost turn themselves inside out and look like huge white balls of feathers. Here too are many other exciting species, including numerous Little Bustard, Stone-curlew, Black-bellied and Pin-tailed Sandgrouse, Collared Pratincole, Short-toed Lark and Calandra Lark. We should also see Montagu's Harrier in good numbers, and watch its attractive display flight. The “sierras” around La Serena are excellent for rock loving birds, and we will walk to an old Moorish castle, now in ruins, where the views of the plains are stunning. The fabulous birds should include Golden Eagle, Bonelli´s Eagle, Black Wheatear, Blue Rock Thrush, Rock Bunting, Southern Grey Shrike, Little Owl, Alpine Swift, and Red-rumped Swallow. Roller breed here in good numbers and are easy to find as they love to perch openly on wires by the roads. Other birds should include Serin, Woodlark, Hoopoe and Corn Bunting. Overnight in Monfrague area.
Day 4 Tuesday 20 April
We visit Trujillo with its large breeding colony of White Stork, Lesser Kestrel and Pallid Swift, and then onwards to the oak woodlands - the 'dehesa' -, with good possibilities of Great Bustard, Little Bustard, Stone Curlew, Black-bellied Sandgrouse, Pin-tailed Sandgrouse, Calandra Lark, Tawny Pipit, Black-eared Wheatear, Red-rumped Swallow, Bee-eater, Roller, Hoopoe and Great Spotted Cuckoo. Birds are everywhere but in the middle of the plains we will find a spectacular spot where Cattle Egret, Little Egret, White Stork and Jackdaw breed together in “perfect harmony”. A short visit to a huge reservoir can produce interesting wildfowl, Penduline Tit and Common Waxbill. Overnight in Monfrague.
Days 5 and 6 Wednesday 21– Thursday 22 April
Monfrague Natural park is an area of truly dramatic scenery, and regarded by raptor watchers as one of the most outstanding sites to see birds of prey in Europe. We will explore the north side of the park where specialities such as Black Vulture breed, together with Griffon and Egyptian Vulture, and eagles are well represented with Golden, Booted, Bonelli's, Short-toed and endangered Spanish Imperial – all five Spanish breeding eagles! Around the rocky pinnacle of Penafalcon, which holds Chough, Blue Rock Thrush, Crag Martin and Alpine Swift, we will look for breeding Black Stork in one of the easiest sites in Europe to watch these shy birds at the nest. Eagle Owl can often be found at their day-time roost, and on one evening we will visit a superb area for Black-shouldered Kite, and Azure-winged Magpie. Another evening after dinner we will explore a good area for Red-necked Nightjar. The magical ambience in the “dehesa” before dusk will suggest how close to Africa we are, as Scops Owl and Red-necked Nightjar delight us with their song. Overnight in Monfrague area.
Day 7 Friday 23 April
On the south side of Monfrague Natural Park we find a reservoir well worth a visit, as we will find an interesting variety of birds such as Great Spotted Cuckoo, Purple Heron, and Little
Bittern, and several raptors including Black Vulture, Spanish Sparrow and Savi´s Warbler. Driving through this Mediterranean habitat we will find an interesting variety of warblers; Sardinian, Subalpine, Dartford, Spectacled, Orphean and Melodious, and perhaps shy Olivaceous Warbler. You should also see Woodchat Shrike, Hawfinch, Azure-winged Magpie and Bee-eater. Overnight in Monfrague area.
Day 8 Saturday 24 April
We return to Madrid, birding en route, for our flight home.
Accommodation is in comfortable hotels with all rooms en suite and excellent local produce. In most of the places we stay British birders are never seen, and you get a true flavour of local, rural Spain.
Price includes return scheduled flight from London – Madrid, airport taxes, ground transportation, accommodation and all meals, incidental tips, and the services of Leader Dave Pullan, plus another from our team with more than 7 clients. Max 14 clients.
Please note: all itineraries are given as a guide only. Actual
holiday content may vary according to the judgement of your guide, and
elements beyond our control (eg weather).
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